Conservative Closure of Children's Centres

A report just published for the Conservative Executive makes cuts to the Borough’s Children’s Centres – with 5 of the previous 12 centres being shut -to make a previously unannounced cost saving.
The following Children’s Centres will be closed:

* Goldington at 28 Meadway
* Kingsbrook at Kings Oak Primary
* Clapham at Ursula Taylor Primary
* Peter Pan at Peter Pan Nursery School and Cauldwell Primary
* Pear Tree at Balliol Primary
This removes access in both urban and rural areas, meaning that four out of the seven Children’s Centres remaining will be located in the Central Bedford area.   Other areas will be relegated to get ‘pop-up’ and ‘outreach’ services. 
These closures are a stealth cut of £62,005. No mention of this cut was made in the Conservative budget passed with Labour support earlier this month. 

Sign our petition here: https://www.bedfordlibdems.org.uk/childrenscentres
Cllr Hilde Hendrickx, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Children and Families, commented, 
"This is a devastating cut to our Children’s Centres. As Liberal Democrats, we protected them throughout the period of austerity, yet they are being axed within 2 years of the Conservatives taking over.   So many communities, both rural and urban, are going to lose easy access to these centres.  All of this is in the name of saving money. It shows how the Mayor's priorities work out in practice - wasting over £3/4m on overpaying for town centre property and refurbishing Oasis only to close it - yet he can't find a fraction of that to protect Children’s Centres.
Many of the centres being closed are in areas with less access to cars. This is going to hit those who need it most. Parents there will have to travel further with babies and young children to access the provision which may make it more likely that they won’t be able to use it at all. 
The Mayor made a big thing about the importance of families in his administration - yet when push comes to shove we can see it's just words."   
 

 Notes:

(Public Pack)Agenda Document for Executive, 05/03/2025 18:30